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Prompted by an incident this summer when a Schenectady woman was mauled, Assemblyman Jim Tedisco, R-Schenectady, announced legislation that would allow cops to charge owners of dogs that injure people with a felony.

The bill, which Tedisco has pre-filed for consideration next year, would up penalties for existing crimes holding dog owners responsible for the actions of their mutts — it’s currently a misdemeanor. Sen. Hugh Farley, R-Niskayuna, will carry the bill in the Senate.

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“The Dangerous Dog Owner Deterrent Act targets criminally irresponsible dog owners who raise their dogs to be vicious weapons and is not limited to any one breed of dog because any dog can have a bad day,” said Tedisco, the driving force behind passage of the landmark Buster’s Law, which created the felony category of aggravated cruelty to animals. “Owning a companion animal is not a right but a privilege and it’s up to dog owners to be responsible for their pets. Dogs should be raised as companion pets, not trained to be killers.”

“Some dog owners create an environment that jeopardizes the safety of others. Recent incidents have demonstrated the need to strengthen the existing penalty levels in order to create a more effective deterrent and improve public safety,” said Farley.

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